The Seeds of Doubt
by Imber-aureus
Summary: One-shot reply to a challenge issued by Darth KenObi-Wan.


Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars. No copyright infringement is intended.

Author Note: This story was written in reply to a challenge I came across by Darth KenObi-Wan:

**_You must write a story with the following excerpt. You can change the characters, I just used my favourites._**

"It was raining. There was mud and blood everywhere. In the middle of the battle field were two figures. Closer inspection revealed them to be Jedi Knights. Obi-Wan Kenobi knelt in the mud, his head resting against Mace Windu's shoulder as he sobbed. They had already taken _his_ body away."

I really liked the sound of this and thought I would give it a try. This is the result. I hope you like it...

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The Seeds of Doubt

_"It was raining. There was mud and blood everywhere. In the middle of the battle field were two figures. Closer inspection revealed them to be Jedi Knights. Obi-Wan Kenobi knelt in the mud, his head resting against Mace Windu's shoulder as he sobbed. They had already taken __**his**__ body away."_

Anakin came to with a start. His breathing was fast and heavy. His heart was racing and that familiar sickening sensation of combined panic and grief was threatening to drown him. His hands clenched convulsively and sweat beaded on his forehead as the images he had just seen so vividly replayed in his mind over and over again.

'No!' he exclaimed into the darkened room. Quickly he rose to his feet, blood rushing to his head and momentarily distorting his vision. He pressed his arm to his heaving stomach and stumbled to the shuttered windows. He slammed his palm against the controls and immediately the shutters began to retract. Something within Anakin calmed as the familiar view of the Jedi Temple, silhouetted against Coruscant's night sky, came into view. Anakin's breathing began to slow and the sensation of impending doom and fierce dread that had coiled inside his chest like a ferocious dragon began to relax.

'It was a dream! Just a dream!' He whispered into the dark.

'_But you dreamed of your mother. Do you remember what happened to her?' _The dark replied. With a groan Anakin brought his hands up and ran them through his short hair.

'No! I am NOT doing this again!' He grabbed his robes and threw them on as he rushed out the front door of the apartment.

The corridor outside was faintly illuminated, just enough that he could clearly see, but not so bright as to blind him. No one was awake at this hour and so Anakin made his way down to the lower levels of Republica 500 without facing another being.

Before he knew it he was standing in one of Republica 500's grand hangar bays. The cool night air whipped at his robes as he strode towards the emergency turbolifts located on this level. Disabling the alarm, he took the first one down to the lowest maintenance level. Heading past another set of alarmed doors he was soon standing on one of Coruscant's less used main streets, one that was normally reserved for the more 'high-end' clientele of the shadier of shady businesses that operated in this area.

Anakin pulled up the hood of his black cloak and keeping to the shadows, he made his way along this street that resembled an ally more than it ever would an actual street. There were no bright neon advertising signs, only dark doorways that led to even darker places. Here and there dark figures passed Anakin by, their features hidden beneath deep hoods just as his were, and now and then Anakin passed by those who were unlikely to rise again.

The stench down here was sickening, and the thought, that those living in the grand buildings high above had no idea what went on down here, crossed Anakin's mind once more. And they were lucky, he added.

Casting his senses around to make sure no one was following him, he shrunk into one of the smaller alleys branching off this prime example of a galactic sewer. The stench here was worse and Anakin had to step over one or two bundles of something cold and unidentifiable lying huddled on the duracrete before reaching a darkened doorway. A human male stood guard here, armed to his teeth. He gestured to Anakin to remove his hood and upon recognising the face he slammed his palm against the control panel beside the door. It hissed open immediately and Anakin stepped into the smoky interior of the dark building.

Distinct smells and sounds immediately assaulted his senses and his eyes smarted as the smoke stung them. He forced his lungs to draw in the foul air and he immediately felt the effect of the spice that saturated the air.

As he hurried along the corridor the music grew louder, and a heavy bass undertone made his bones vibrate. It did nothing to assail the pounding in his head.

He passed another guard, who recognised him with a small nod, before stepping into the large cavern at the heart of the building. This room was vast and lit by only a few lights strategically placed in booths circling the walls. A bar stood in the centre of this great cavernous room with its high ceilings, and a band played on a small stage to its right. Here and there small groups of beings stood huddled together, some, clearly affected by the heady scent of spice, were swaying to the music, others were deep in discussion, their faces betraying nothing of effects of the drug. It seemed as though every being commonly associated with the inner core of the galaxy, and then some, was represented here in some form or another.

Anakin pushed through the crowd and took his usual place on one of the bar stools. His gaze strayed to a young woman serving two Devaronian females. She handed them two cups filled with a peculiar looking neon pink liquid. They paid and the woman cashed in the credits. Taking a quick breather she ran her fingers through her long black hair and exhaled. The smile permanently plastered on her delicate features suddenly vanished. Then her head turned and she spotted Anakin. The grin immediately returned and she sauntered over to stand in front of him.

'Well, well, well. I was wondering when I'd see you again Jedi!' Her voice was sweet and she laughed lightly as she leaned over the counter and placed a quick peck on his cheek.

'What can I get you Jedi?'

'One meltdown please, Bonnie.' Anakin's replied with a quick smile of his own, that vanished as he cast a quick glance around. None of the other customers struck him as particularly dangerous, or at all concerned by his presence, and he relaxed a little.

Bonnie made to prepare his drink and accepted nine credits as she passed him the clear cup filled with a distinctive dark green liquor. Anakin inhaled deeply, relishing the strong, clear scent of spice. He took a long sip and almost immediately the air began to clear and the strange muffling sensation that had enveloped him the moment he had set foot in the building was cancelled out by the strong drink that was known for giving partial immunity to certain toxins and dangerous gases.

'Nightmare?' Bonnie enquired, as she placed another small cup in front of him. This one was filled with a clear liquid that gave off no odour. Anakin downed the contents of this one in one gulp and handed the cup back. The effect of the spiced drink immediately vanished.

'Yeah.'

'Give me a sec. I'll get Jet to fill in for me, then we can talk.' She turned to a man sitting a small way down the bar. 'Jet! Take over for a while will you! I've got business to attend to!' The small human male jumped over the counter, with animation that betrayed his burly physique.

'Come on. Let's talk.' Bonnie led Anakin to one of the small booths set in at the back of the cavern. Most of the booths here were deserted. Anakin slumped down on a seat and, glancing down at his drink, missed the worried glance his friend cast him.

'Come on Ani, tell me what's wrong.'

'Just a bad dream, B. I dreamt that we were at war and Obi-Wan and I were fighting this strange creature – like nothing I've ever come across – it was huge and strong and – I don't know. We were losing, but then I scored a hit. Just as I drove my sabre right into the soft flesh under its left arm it all became blurry and instead of a monster Master Windu was suddenly standing in front of my, my blade sticking out of his chest. And then – Obi-Wan just turned and drove his own blade right through my heart. Then it was like I was watching them, even though I was dead already, as Obi-Wan knelt beside Windu's side, holding his hand and sobbing that he was sorry.' Anakin's voice was barely more than a whisper.

Bonnie frowned at the young man sitting opposite of her. He looked so forlorn. She could feel his inner turmoil through her limited grasp on the Force and she sighed, knowing there was relatively little she could do to help.

'Anakin, it was a dream. I know you've had bad dreams before, but that doesn't mean they all have to come true! Your mother … it was tragic Anakin, but the Force – you know all of this better than I do – it doesn't have to be true, Ani! I know that much.'

'Don't you think I don't know that, B? The dreams I had of my mother were different… but this one felt so … real. And when I woke up I couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was about to happen, something so bad it will throw the whole galaxy off course.'

'Breathe, Ani. Come, let's change the topic. Why don't you tell me about Padmé? Or one of your new assignments? Maybe I can help you out somewhere?'

'There's not much to tell, B. I haven't heard from Padmé in three months, but I know that she is safe. And the Jedi Council has sent Obi-Wan off on a "secret" mission, and they didn't let me go along. The Council refused to even tell me where he was going. That's how much they trust me! There's nothing for me to do… except sit around and wait for Obi-Wan to return.'

'But they must have given you something to do! It's not like the Jedi Council to waste talent?' Bonnie appeared honestly puzzled.

'Chores! They want me to help out in the archives! I'm better than that! Why should I waste my time, when I could be helping Obi-Wan? I could have handled his mission, but no, the Council would have me sort out the stupid archives. They don't have any faith in me, B. They don't trust me… I am of no use to them. Why don't they see what a powerful Jedi I am? I am stronger than Obi-Wan already, but if they got their way, they would keep me locked up forever. Nothing I do is good enough! Sometimes I wonder what I am doing there, B.'

'Hey. Hey!' Bonnie reached out and touched Anakin's hand when he didn't respond.. His eyes were blazing and Bonnie felt his anger as she touched him. His disappointment and the feeling that he had been betrayed by those he looked up to the most hurt her too. 'We have been over this, Ani. The Council knows you are powerful! How could they not? But you, Ani, have a mind of your own, and what is more dangerous to any establishment than raising a powerful being capable of taking them down without a second thought? I can't think of anything.'

'I wish they would trust me. I would never do anything to betray the Jedi Order. They should know that!' Anakin sighed.

'Anakin, you are sitting in a bar, with one of the galaxy's most notorious spice smugglers, drinking a meltdown. You are training this said spice smuggler how to use the Force in return for her sending out messages to your wife… does any of this make you trustworthy?'

'But the Council doesn't know any of this!' Anakin raised his eyes to meet Bonnie's, gesturing to himself and then her. Bonnie chuckled.

'That's not the point. Considering all this you are hardly the ideal Jedi, Anakin. All I'm saying is that you shouldn't be too surprised if they don't display perfect trust in you.'

_"It was raining. There was mud and blood everywhere. In the middle of the battle field were two figures. Closer inspection revealed them to be Jedi Knights. Obi-Wan Kenobi knelt in the mud, his head resting against Mace Windu's shoulder as he sobbed. They had already taken __**his**__ body away."_

Obi-Wan started awake. His mind still reeling from what he had just witnessed, he rose from his bed and strode towards the window pane to stare out over the vast expanse of Coruscant at night. Something, something he had just seen had puzzled him greatly, but the dream was already beginning to slip away. He tried to hold onto it in vain. Something –

He dismissed the thought and glancing at the time on the chrono he decided he might as well stay up and complete his report for the Council. Already dressed in his light brown robes, he grabbed his datapad and made his way down to the archives where he settled in front of one of the computer consoles and began typing up some of the information he had gathered.

_"It was raining. There was mud and blood everywhere. In the middle of the battle field were two figures. Closer inspection revealed them to be Jedi Knights. Obi-Wan Kenobi knelt in the mud, his head resting against Mace Windu's shoulder as he sobbed. They had already taken __**his**__ body away."_

Obi-Wan opened his eyes. The light of the console screen in front of him was blindingly bright and the words written on the screen refused to make sense.

He had fallen asleep again. He closed the report he had been working on and called up one of the archive files. This time he had recognised where he had been in the dream. It was so familiar, and yet the devastation he had witnessed was making it hard for him to recall exactly where he had seen these surrounding before.

He tried searching the database, but drew up a blank. Nothing quite matched what he could recall, but the sensation that he knew the exact place wouldn't leave him alone. And then it hit him! He rose from his seat so quickly that his datapad went crashing to the ground, damaging the screen. He left it there as he made for the Temple gardens.

There it lay: the very scene he had dreamt of! The only difference was the lack of mud and blood scattered everywhere. Obi-Wan glanced up at the night sky just visible, high up beyond the glass ceiling. That very ceiling had been shattered in his dream and rain had been pouring in through the roof. There had been betrayal – Anakin – Anakin had…. Anakin had killed Mace Windu! They had come crashing in through the roof to land right in the middle of the raging chaos that had filled the Jedi Temple. They had been at war! He had been at Windu's side as the dying Jedi Master had whispered words of betrayal. All the while Anakin, having landed on his feet, was approaching them. Without pausing to think his actions through Obi-Wan had drawn his lightsabre and driven it through the heart of his one-time apprentice with more fury than he had ever thought to possess.

The memory of the vivid dream had Obi-Wan shaking as he stood in the centre of the Temple's opulent gardens. He had killed Anakin! It had only been a dream, but it shocked him nevertheless. It shocked him how he had driven the blade home without any remorse! The echo of a distant shout reverberated through him and he recalled the words his own voice had spoken:

'You were the Chosen One! You were supposed to destroy the Sith, not join them...Bring balance to the Force, not leave it in darkness!' and a whisper followed those harsh words… a whisper so gentle Obi-Wan could hardly decipher it in his awakened state:

'You were my brother, Anakin. I loved you!'

Suddenly Obi-Wan felt a shadow approaching him through the Force, a shadow so devastatingly powerful that it had him momentarily rooted to the spot:

'Your love means nothing! Nothing shall overcome the power of the Force!' it seemed to whisper into the embrace of dawn. A chill ran down Obi-Wan's spine and he whirled to face that voice. But there was nothing there! He was alone, in the middle of the gardens. He suddenly felt cold and his limbs felt heavy. The very ground felt as though it was about to give way and as he looked down he saw water collecting around his boots, and mud… A crimson colour was swirling through the water, staining the mud a deep, dark red. It was the colour of blood. Heavy drops of cold rain pelted down from above, splashing onto the ground, mixing the ribbons of blood with the dark water and the mud, diluting the evidence of war and death… and then the fire came! Waves of fierce heat blasted Obi-Wan as the mud turned to bright orange lava and he was sinking right into it…

Obi-Wan opened his eyes only to find that he was standing calmly in the Temple Gardens. Someone was shaking his shoulders, calling his name.

'Anakin?' Obi-Wan recoiled as he recognised his friend. He took a deep breath, trying to push away the panic that had suddenly flared through him.

'Yes. It's me, Obi-Wan. Are you all right? You were mumbling something.' There was real concern in Anakin's voice and Obi-Wan tried to smile reassuringly, but he couldn't quite make it convincing enough.

'I just had a vision. It was nothing.'

Anakin did not look certain, but then he shrugged and dismissed the incident. If Obi-Wan wouldn't tell him what was wrong, then he wouldn't press the issue.

'I thought I might find you here! I am glad you have returned. Did your mission go well?' He enquired, no lingering trace of worry colouring his words.

'Yes. Thank you, Anakin. It all went according to plan. In fact, I am just about to finish my report for the council. If you want to wait we can go to the mess hall together and I can tell you all about it?'

'Yeah. Sure I'll wait.'

Side by side the two Jedi walked back to the archives and Obi-Wan resumed his work. He was finished within a few minutes and he and Anakin went off to go and find some breakfast.

Dark within the bowels of the city another master of the Force was taking the first meal of the day. He sat in the shadows, his face hooded, as his apprentice came before him.

'The seeds of doubt have been planted, My Lord, exactly as you commanded.'

'You have done well, Darth Tyrannus. Your reward awaits you!' The calculating, cold voice sent a shiver down the old man's spine. He bowed deeply, and backed away. As he left the room he heard a low chuckle and he couldn't help but grin. After all, this was the beginning of the end.

_"It was raining. There was mud and blood everywhere. In the middle of the battle field were two figures. Closer inspection revealed them to be Jedi Knights. Obi-Wan Kenobi knelt in the mud, his head resting against Mace Windu's shoulder as he sobbed."_

Darth Vader flicked the switch and the image flickered away.

'How touching!' wheezed a voice that reverberated through the room, which otherwise was filled only by the mechanic sound of Vader's breathing apparatus. He shifted uncomfortably, his eyes still seeing the pair of Jedi Knights huddled together, Obi-Wan sobbing… sobbing over HIS enemy!

'Lord Vader!' the distinctive wheezing voice spoke again from his right and Vader turned to face the Emperor, his long black cloak swirling.

'My Master.' Wincing under the heavy black mask, Vader sank to one knee. He ignored the pain lancing through his legs as his charred flesh protested the extreme movement. He thought he could feel scabs ripping open and the faint sensation of hot trickling blood.

'Lord Vader. You will go to the Jedi Temple. You will ensure the last of the Jedi archives are safely transported to my new headquarters. You will burn anything and everything that remains. The Jedi Temple will be nothing but an empty shell to remind us of our victory!'

'Yes, my Master.' As the Emperor strode away Vader forced himself to rise. He groaned and pulled himself up. He would leave immediately, but he had to see this one more time:

It was raining. There was mud and blood everywhere. In the middle of the battle field that Coruscant had become were two figures. Closer inspection revealed them to be Jedi Knights. Obi-Wan Kenobi knelt in the mud, his head resting against Mace Windu's shoulder as he sobbed.

Vader stared at them, transfixed. They had already taken Windu's body away when Obi-Wan glanced up and it was as though he was staring right at Vader, and Vader heard the words he spoke as only he could. Into the dark Obi-Wan mouthed: 'You were my brother, Anakin. I loved you.'


End file.
